In 1847, Andrew Jackson Caldwell laid out the foundation for his new family home. With a desire for distinction, his home would not be a simple structure with four walls like so many others, but an eight sided edifice unique to the region.
Completed in 1859, it would soon become a landmark in the south-central Kentucky
Built for his growing family and as a headquarters for the plantation, it was occupied by the Caldwell family even after Andrew's death in 1866. His widow, Harriet, lived in the Octagon Hall until selling the house in 1918 to Doctor Miles Williams, an osteopath from Nashville, Tennessee.
Dr. Williams moved from Nashville and made the Octagon Hall his residence until his death in 1954. At that time, the Octagon Hall was made rental property by his heirs.
The Caldwells
I was upstairs looking out a window down into the front yard.
In the basement, the kitchen.
Do you see another face in this picture...there was not one when I took the photograph. Now I am not saying it's a ghost...but check it out.....
Look at the beauty in this hand made bench.
On each plank on the walls of this cabin, you can see each strike of the ax...where they pulled it from the wood....after all these years....amazing.
This is a family burial site.
These are for the soldiers.
These stones are for the slaves.
The Octagon Hall remained rental property until The Octagon Hall Foundation was formed and obtained the building in 2001. Dedicated to the restoration and preservation of the only eight-sided house in Kentucky, The Octagon Hall Foundation is furthering the efforts to save th e past for the future.
5 comments:
Interesting place. I have never visited there. Great photos. I have been to the Hermitage in Old Hickory and the James K. Polk home in Columbia. Love history.
I read this post three separate times. Very unique. I love different historical sites that are unusual. Great post.
Thank you BW, very much.
I think Dad and I found a face in a picture that we took when we last visited, either from there or from the jail. Ask dad about it, because we even took the picture back the next day to double check.
Hey Holly, yeah Dad said it was a woman and baby...and there was no woman and baby standing there when you took the picture...I cannot remember either if he said the jail or The Octagon Hall....I am thinking downstairs at The Hall....like with mine...and the man in the picture was hung....of my photograph...found in enemy clothing...but not because he was a traitor, just all there was...or something of that nature...I unfortunately did not get the whole story.
I am so glad you stopped by here. I love you sister!
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